Indy looks to expand recycling program

Marion County - Indianapolis hopes to expand its recycling program. It wants to make curbside recycling countywide and ultimately free of charge. Right now it's available for a monthly fee of $6.

The city is asking private vendors to submit proposals for the collection and disposal of recyclable materials.

Karen Haley is director of the city's Office of Sustainability.

"We're looking to see the big picture - what facilities and organizations are interested in taking this to the next level," she said.

Haley described curbside as the "gold standard of residential recycling programs." But she also said, "we want to do it at the lowest cost possible."

She said the deadline for proposals is February 17th. Besides curbside recycling, the city also has 28 drop-off sites. While the city subsidizes those, Haley said the curbside program is paid for through the monthly subscription fees.

While she didn't have the latest participation rates, the mayor has repeatedly said he'd like to see more people recycle.